BioWare Has Listened And Tried, So Don't Act Like Children
BioWare's attempt at appeasing enraged fans arrives this week; it's the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut DLC, designed to address the ending(s) problems so many fans attacked earlier this year. In speaking to OXM, BioWare executive producer Casey Hudson acknowledged that even this effort "won't satisfy everyone," as he admitted that there was some feedback they just couldn't address. For instance, some wanted the team to outright reject the entire concept of the endings and start from scratch, which wouldn't be possible. But Hudson was clear about the team's dedication to their fans: "Ultimately our passion is entertaining people, so delighting them with our stories and giving them amazing worlds to escape to, that's what we love to do, so in this medium it just wouldn't make sense for us to make some kind of artistic statement, and then turn our backs on it forever... When things are really constructive like that, even when it's critical, it means a lot to us, because when you think about the artists and writers, all the people here - they work because they're passionate about games. They're passionate about making a really great experience for players. So when they get constructive feedback, constructive criticism, they're really excited about that." And despite all that, Hudson knows the Extended Cut will only spark new arguments and discussions, and not all of it will be praising BioWare. Now, I've made my stance plain in the past: I do not and have never had a problem with gamers speaking their minds, especially the ardent fans that are essentially the lifeblood of this industry. I do have a problem with the way many such fans went about expressing their displeasure with ME3. BioWare has essentially done something we've never really seen before outside of MMOs and games that revolve around multiplayer (as they are continually updated and patched): They've delivered what may be a major piece of extra content to actually change and/or expand upon previously existing, somewhat linear stories. That alone, almost regardless of how it turns out, should earn the developer at least some modicum of appreciation and respect. At the very least. Many have asked me how I would've responded if this had happened with my favorite series, Final Fantasy. My answer from the start has been the same- I would've been annoyed, I would've made that irritation clear, and at the same time, I would've been just as embarrassed at my fellow fans for freaking out in such a hostile, childish fashion. And if Square Enix did something like the Extended Cut to address fan backlash...? Holy crap, I'd probably send them a personal thank you letter for listening. How's about some BioWare fans consider doing that?
